Charles Schmid II: As rents keep going up, where is the compassion?

Rents in the Valley have gone sky high. Some low-income and poor families are forced into dire positions. Amherst, Northampton, Easthampton and Southampton have all gone sky high. Where is the human compassion?

Landlords want to make money and I understand that, but enough is enough. Now we have families who are being stranded or becoming homeless. Cities say they will try to find housing for these people. That is laughable. What about all these buildings that are not being used? We have eyesores all over the Valley.

Easthampton has them too and they are not being used, but it seems another year goes by and nothing is done about them. Then you have Section 8, which is supposed to be for low-income housing, but people are being told there is an eight-year waiting list.

Apartment buildings are being sold and that causes great stress to tenants. Allow the tenants to rent to own the apartments, let them do repairs and make them good homes.

Let’s have some common sense, shall we? Stop the war on the poor. I ask Easthampton, Northampton and Valley officials: Isn’t there a better way?